Device for securing grain



n e e h S Q h t e e h S 2 R A R R A h H H u d O M 0 m DEVIGE. FORSECURING GRAIN, GUANO, GOAL, &c., FROM SHIFTING IN VESSELS.

Patented Mar. 7

fizvenifor.

@arHiE'a'ra-r.

N. PETERS. Fhcmutho n her. Washington, 0.6.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. H. PARRAR. DEVICE FOR SECURING GRAIN,GUANO, GOAL, &c., FROM SHIPTING IN VESSELS.-

Patented Mar. 7,1882.

No. 254,630. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR H. FARRAR, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

DEVICE FOR SECURING GRAIN, GUANO, COAL, do, FROM SHIFTING lN VE SSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,630, dated March 7,1882.

Application filed November 28, 1881. (No model} To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR HOWARD FAB- RAR, of New Orleans, in the parishof Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and improved modeof securing grain, guano, coal, or any other similar mass of materialfrom shifting when carried in bulk in sea-going vessels; and I do herebydeclare that the followingis a full and exact description of the same,to wit:

This invention relates to a novel method of and means for securinggrain, guano, coal, or any other similar mass of material from shiftingwhen carried in bulk in sea-going vessels. The hold in which saidarticles are stored will be, as usual, divided into severalcompartments, one of which is illustrated in the drawings, saidcompartments being made in the holds of vessels by means of transversebulk-heads.

The object of my invention is to provide pressure for compacting andkeeping stable bulks of grain or other articles by means of flexiblediaphragms or flaps appropriately fastened to the containing-vessels,and tightened upon the mass, whose surface has been topped 0E to asemi-cylindrical shape. This object I attain by means of the devicesillustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transversesection of the hull of a vessel with the flexible flaps orsemi-diaphragms rolled up. Fig. 2 is a like view with the flexible flapsunrolled, and having their inner edges drawn toward each other. Fig. 3is a plan view of one of the flexible flaps and portion of the oppositeflap, and illustrates the manner in which the flaps are drawn together.Fig. 4 represents the tongue or strip that is to be placed under thespace between the inner edges of the flaps. Fig. 5 illustrates one ofthe foot or head curtains or pieces for preventing the escape of grainbetween the bulk-head and the end edges of the flaps. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of one of the sheaves connected with the stifiening-barof a flap or semi-diaphragm. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section throughthe deck, and shows in elevation two stancheons and the tightening-rope.Fig. 8 represents one of the clamps for securing the tighteningrope.Fig. 9 is a side view of a part of the inner side of the vessel, andshows the metal strips with the rows of hooks. Fig. 10 is an edge viewand a perspective view of one of said metal strips with its hooks. Fig.11 is a transverse section of a portion of the vessel, a flexible flapor diaphragm, and illustrates one of the curtains that are employed forpreventing the escape of grain through the space between the outer edgesof the flaps and the sides of the vessel.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates the hull of a vessel,and B one of the compartments of its hold. It will be understood thateach compartment will be providedwith the same devices for holding downthe grain, and hence a description of said devices in connection withone compartment will serve for all.

Along each vertical side of the compartment, running fore and aft inhorizontal rows about five feet apart, are arranged the series of stoutmetal hooks O,about fourinches apart. These books turn downward, asindicated,and may project about two and a half inches, from the side ofthe vessel, and the number of rows of these books will depend entirelyupon the depth of the compartment in which they are located. Where thedepth of the hold is even as great as eighteen feet, two rows of bookson each side will usually be sufficient. The strain upon these bookswill be considerable, as will hereinafter appear, and hence I find itpreferable to employ metal straps Oflwhich are fastened to the sides ofthe vessel and extend from the top to, or nearly to, the bottom of thecompartment, each strap forming a bed for the shank of one hook of eachrow on the side where said strap is arranged. These metal straps notonly serve to secure the books, but also strengthen the sides of thevessel. It will be obvious, however, that the hooks can be secured tothe sides of the vessel in a variety of ways, either permanently ortemporarily, although that found herein Will be exceedingly effective. Dindicates a flexible flap or semidiaphragm having an area about equal tohalf the horizontal area of the compartment. This flap or semi-diaphragmwill be composed of canvas or any material whatsoever, and if necessarycan be strengthened by iron ribs, chains, or hempen or other cords d.

The semi-diaphragm has along one edge a row of metal eyes, 4?, adaptedto receive the hooksjust described when hooks and eyes are employed as ameans for connecting the semidiaphragms to the sides of the vessel, forin carrying out my invention the object can be attained by employingother fastening devices for either permanently or temporarily connectingthe semi-diaphragms to the sides of the vessel. At the edge of the flapor semi-diaphragm opposite to the edge along which the row of metal eyesis located is secured a cylindrical beam or pole, d of about four inchesin diameter, for stiffening the semi-diaphragm at such edge or othermeans which will suitably stiffen the same can be employed. At intervalsalong this rod or beam are secured strong blocks or casings, of wood, ormetal sheaves E, said sheaves being arranged horizontally and in thesame plane as the semi-diaphragm or flap. Each semi-diaphragm or flap isformed so as to form a horizontal partition for onehalf of thecompartment, so that when two of these semi diaphragms are connectedwith the hooks and their inner stiffened edges brought toward each otherover the tongue or center piece a complete horizontal partition ordiaphragm will be formed. If the inner edge of the diaphragm isstiffened by a beam, the same can be made in several pieces forconvenienee in handling, and secured in any suitable manner, iron orwooden bolts or keys being employed for rendering the entire length ofthe stiffened edge rigid when required.

If found necessary, the outer edge of each flap, where itis connectedwith the hooks, can be stiffened in any appropriate manner-as, forinstance, by having the eyes made in a bar composed of sections hingedtogether so as to fold upward or downward, but to be rigid laterally.When the vessel is to be loaded with grain, for example, thesesemi-diaphragms or flaps will be connected with the hooks or otherwiseappropriately fastened to the sides of the vessel and rolled up towithin a short distance of the side-say two and one-half feet as shownin Fig. 1, and then reefed, as is usual in reefing sails. The grainisthen poured into the compartment through the hatchway e and piles up onthe bottom of thecompartmentin a conical-shaped heap.Whentheedgeofthe'body ofthe grain on each side is about onefoot abovethe first row of hooks it is topped off to a cylindrical shape, and atongue orstrip, F, of canvas or other material, stitl'ened with marginaland transverseribs f, or other equivalent means, is laid upon the centerof the body of the grain. The first or lower flaps or semi-diaphragmsare then unreefed and brought down upon the grain and upon said tongueor strip, which, being located centrally upon the mass of grain, willclose such space as will exist between the stiffeners and opposing edgesof the flaps. This tongue or center piece, as well as the curtains,hereinafter described, may, however, be dispensed with in the lower andmiddle diaphragms, and be used only in connection with the topdiaphragm. The two flaps are drawn toward each other as tightly aspossible by the application of force in a plane tangential to thecylindrical surface of the mass of grain along the line of contact ofthe inner edge of each flap-as, for example, Iform through the deck G,in front and rear of the center stanchion g of the rear and frontbulkhead of each compartment, a round hole, for the tighteningrope topass through.

Corresponding with each set of flaps and on each stanchion on a levelwith the top of each topped section of grain are arranged the pulleys H,and around these pulleys the tightenin g-rope I is passed. Said rope isalso passed around the sheaves at the inner edges of the flaps orsemidiaphragms, and carried up through the holes in the deck to acapstan or other device for tightening up the rope, and thereby drawingthe inner edges of the flaps together, and thereby compressing thegrain.

In case there are center stanchions K within the compartment, asindicated in Fig. 4, two ropes can be used in a similar manner in lieuof one. In such case the number of holes through the deck, and ofblocksand sheaves on the end stanchions would be doubled, while similar blocksand sheaves would be placed on each side of the center stanehious.

It will be understood that a variety of devices could be employed forthe purpose of drawing these semi diaphragms tautupon the grain; but ifthose herein illustrated are used the rope can be fastened at the pointof greatest strain by a pair ofjaws, L, (see Fig. 8,) connected with thestanchionjust above each block or sheave. The rope passes betweenthesejaws and can be secured by clamping the hinged jaw to thejaw thatis rigid with the stanchion by means of a set-screw, 1. Any other formof clamp or fastening device can. however, be employed for such purpose.When the rope is thus fastened the ends above deck can be released andallowed to drop down through the holes in the same, so as to leave saidholes free for the ropes of the next upper flaps or semidiaphragms,where two or more sets of such flaps are used. To prevent the compressedgrain from escaping up between the outer side edges of the flaps and thesides of the vessel, I provide curtains M, which are fastened to thediaphragm a few inches on either the inside or outside of the eyes, andwhich constitute vertical flaps at the sides of said semidiaphragms, asshown in Fig. 11. The mass of grain within the compartment presses thesecurtains tightly against the side of the vessel, and hence holds thesame in place. In addition to these side curtains I provide endourtains, N, each composed of a strip of canvas or other material, ofproper size and shape for closing up the spaces between the end edges ofthe semidiaphragms and the bulk-heads. These pieces of canvas, which canbedesignated as the head and foot pieces, will be placed over eachbulk-head, their lower edges being about one and one-half foot below thesurface of the mass of grain, and their upper edges extendin gabout thesame distance above. When the grain is topped off preparatory tobringing over the top flaps these upper projecting edges of the head andfoot pieces will be turned down over the grain, so that they will becovered by the main flaps or semi-diaphragms, and thus a tight jointmade. The center tongue or strip shown in Fig. 4 will have openings forthe center stanchions when center stanchions are employed in theconstruction of the vessel, the tongue being formed with slits 121.,leading from one edge to said openings, so that it can be adjusted inplace by spreading the edges of the slits apart for the passage of thestanchions. After the first orlower set of flaps have been drawn overthe grain and secured, grain can be again poured down through thehatchway, and after a sufficient quantity has accumulated upon the saidflaps. the grain can be topped oh and the next upper set of flaps drawnover the grain and secured.

The ropes by means of which the top semi-diaphragms are tightened can bekept on deck around a capstan or a drum or other device arranged forthat purpose, so thatif the cargo shakes down any farther a constantstrain may be put upon the ropes and the top diaphragm kept alwaysperfectly rigid.

To obviate the difficulty of the cargos shaking down so much that thetop flaps would meet or be drawn up against the center stanchions, andthereby prevent any further and desired strain from being placeduponthem, the flaps should be provided with means for taking a reef inthem.

In Fig. 2 the position of the flaps after the ship is loaded isillustrated.

One set of flaps might be used; but a number of sets are desirable, soas to effectively hold down the mass of grain and prevent it fromshifting. It will be seen that the compartment is thus divided into anumber of same remarks will apply to the middle and to the upperdivision, the only difference as to the upper division being that theconstant strain that can be put upon the latter, as before described,takes the place of the weight and pressure of a superincumbent mass.

By making the flexible diaphragms of sufficient strength (and they canbe made like a piece of chain-mail, if necessary) coal can be securelyheld down in the hold of a vessel.

What I claim is- 1. The method of packing and preventing the shifting ofbulks of grain, guano, or other substances in a ship, consisting inpressing and holding down the grain or other article in successivelayers by stretching flexible diaphragms upon the layers as they areformed.

2. The combination, with a ship, of the flexible flaps orsemi-diaphragms connected with the sidesot' the ships hold, and meansfordrawing said diaphragins together so as to form a series of horizontalpartitions for pressing upon and holding down the grain or otherarticles to be transported, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the horizontal rows of hooks secured to the innerside of the vessel with the flexiblediaphragms adapted to be connectedwith said hooks, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the flaps arranged for forming horizontalpartitions in the ships hold, of the side curtains adapted to preventthe passage of grain between the outer edges of the flaps and the sidesof the vessel, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the flaps or semidiaphragms arranged forforming horizontal partitions in the ships hold, of the strip F, adaptedto close the space between the inner opposing edges of thesemi-dia-phragms, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the semi diaphragms arranged for forminghorizontal partitions in a ships hold, of the head and footstrips N,substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the flaps or semidiaphragms D, adapted to beconnected to the sides of the ships hold, and having the stiffening-rodd of the sheave E, the pulleys upon the stanchions, and thetightening-rope passing over the sheaves and pulleys and up through thedecks, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the flexible flaps and the tightening-ropearranged to tighten the flaps within a ships hold, of the clamp forsecuring the rope alter it has been tightened, substantially asdescribed.

9. The combination, with the metal strips sev cured to the sides of thehold of a vessel and provided with hooks, of the flexiblesemi-diaphragms adapted to engage with said hooks, and devices fordrawing the inner edges of said diaphragm together, substantially asdescribed.

, EDGAR HOWARD FARRAR.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. BEOKWITH, FRED. D. KING.

